Karate Kid

Posted at 2:43 pm on 30th November, 2017

Year 8 Student Ellie Costin has been pursuing her chosen sport of Karate for 3 years. She is currently 3rd Kyu (Brown Belt), which requires intensive training to compete at International competition level. These competitions involve “Kata” performances that last between 90 seconds and 3 minutes.

Kata is an exercise consisting of several of the specific movements of a martial art, especially a pattern prescribed for defending oneself against several attackers and is used in judo and karate training.

Ellie competes in both individual and pair Kata’s and has currently achieved the following results:

Current British International Open Champion - Pairs Kata Age 12/13 with Ellie Payne

Current British International Open Silver Medallist – Individual Kata Age 12/13

Polish Open Bronze Medallist – Team Kata 12 to 15 years with Ellie Payne and Tahlia Blake

Polish Open 10th place (out of 39) – Individual Kata 11 to 13 years.

Ellie has private lessons with Sensie Kelly Horsall; joint Lead Kata Instructor at Sale Dojo, on a weekly basis and she trains 5 nights a week for around 9 to 12 hours in total. The Sale Dojo team also provide day to day advice, nutrition, exercise etc.

Sensei Kelly Horsfall commented ‘Her performances have really taken off this year; converting 4th and 5th places into Bronze Medals and now more regularly finals with the chance of Gold/Silver.’

Ellie commented ‘I have fun competing and enjoy spending time at competitions with my team; we always support each other. I just seem to thrive under pressure of the large championships. I would love to represent my country at an Olympic Games.’

The aim for Ellie over the coming twelve months is to go up to selections for the England Youth Kata Team. As her reputation she builds her family and Dojo feel she has a fair shot at this. She trains hard and regularly stays behind to do extra.

Karate is currently a self funded sport and in order to further her development she really needs to do more International competition; as the best in the world are based in Italy, Spain and Japan. Finances don’t always allow for Ellie to regularly participate in the European competitions. Sponsorship from local businesses interested in supporting future Ellie or any of the current Elite Kata Squad should contact http://www.saledojo.co.uk/

David Costin said ‘We are very proud of Ellie’s achievements and hope to see her talents shine through to progress to the next level.